Ever since then, I see people popping up in the forums spotting a new algorithm and design for Microsoft's Live.com search engine.

Microsoft actually "spilled the beans" on the launch, posting a blog post too early that read something like:

In a blog posting on Thursday, Windows Live program manager Akram Hussein demonstrated how the revamped Live Search handles searches for digital cameras, showing not just product details, but also reviews. The new search scrapes details from other sites that have user reviews and other information and presents it from within the search engine.

In any event, this new design and "algorithm" is on it's way. Will it be better? Time will tell. It is hard to get worse (ouch!).